Packing system having interactive objects

Abstract

A packing system is provided having an object to be packed which has an interface surface having coded data identifying the object, and a sensing device for sensing the coded data to generate indicating data indicative of the object identity and at least one of a position and orientation of the sensed coded data and a position and orientation of the sensing device relative to the interface surface. The sensing device is configured to transfer the indicating data to at least one of: a packing device which is responsive to the indicating data to pack the object; a computer system which is responsive to the indicating data to cause a packing device to pack the object; and a packing device which is responsive to the indicating data to determine the orientation of the object.

1. A packing system comprising:
 an object to be packed comprising an interface surface having coded data identifying the object; and 
 a sensing device for sensing the coded data to generate indicating data indicative of the object identity and at least one of a position and orientation of the sensed coded data and a position and orientation of the sensing device relative to the interface surface, the sensing device being configured to transfer the indicating data to at least one of:
 a packing device which is responsive to the indicating data to pack the object; 
 a computer system which is responsive to the indicating data to cause a packing device to pack the object; and 
 a packing device which is responsive to the indicating data to determine the orientation of the object. 
 
 
   
   
     2. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensing device includes a laser for emitting a scanning beam in first and second orthogonal directions to thereby generate a raster scan pattern over a scanning patch of the interface surface. 
   
   
     3. A system according to  claim 2 , wherein the coded data comprises a plurality of coded tags disposed over the interface surface such that the scanning patch exposes at least one tag. 
   
   
     4. A system according to  claim 3 , wherein the object has a plurality of faces, each face having at least one tag provided at a respective position. 
   
   
     5. A system according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one tag identifies the face, and sensing device generates, from the sensed tag, the indicating data to be indicative of the face identity. 
   
   
     6. A system according to  claim 3 , wherein each tag identifies its own position on the interface surface. 
   
   
     7. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the coded data is substantially invisible to the unaided eye. 
   
   
     8. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the coded data is printed using infrared ink. 
   
   
     9. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the coded data is indicative of an EPC associated with the object. 
   
   
     10. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the coded data uniquely distinguishes the object from other objects. 
   
   
     11. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the coded data is redundantly encoded. 
   
   
     12. A system according to  claim 11 , wherein the coded data is redundantly encoded using Reed-Solomon encoding. 
   
   
     13. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the coded data is provided on the interface surface coincident with visible markings representing at least one of object information, orientation information, the identity of the object, and object status information. 
   
   
     14. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the interface surface is at least a portion of at least one of object packaging, object labelling, and a surface of the object. 
   
   
     15. A system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a package in which the object is to be packed, the package comprising a package interface surface having package coded data identifying the package and a plurality of positions of the package interface surface,
 wherein the sensing device is configured to sense the package coded data to generate package indicating data indicative of the package identity, and to transfer the package indicating data to a packing device responsive to the package indicating data to pack the object in the package. 
 
   
   
     16. A system according to  claim 15 , wherein the coded data is substantially invisible to the unaided eye. 
   
   
     17. A system according to  claim 15 , wherein the coded data is printed using infrared ink. 
   
   
     18. A system according to  claim 15 , wherein the coded data is redundantly encoded. 
   
   
     19. A system according to  claim 15 , wherein the coded data is redundantly encoded using Reed-Solomon encoding.